Sheet web roof structure with underlying and overlying constraining wires



Aug. 22, 1967 i w. A. CLAY 3,336,704

SHEET WEB ROOF STRUCTURE WITH UNDERLYING AND OVERLYING CONSTRAININGWIRES 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR.

WALLACE A. CLAY HIS ATTORN Aug. 22, 1967 w. A. CLAY SHEET WEB ROOFSTRUCTURE WITH UNDERLYING AND OVERLYING CONSTRAINING WIRES Sheet 2 2Sheets Filed Dec. 15, 1964 RM 0L E M N R W 0 T mui Md A W United StatesPatent 3,336,704 SHEET WEB ROOF STRUCTURE WITH UNDER- lvllf ANDOVERLYING CONSTRAINING Wallace A. Clay, Box 120, RED. 3, Ogden, Utah84404 Filed Dec. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 418,491 1 Claim. (CI. 5223) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention consists essentially in theprovision of a roof, and ancillary structure wherein the roof proper isformed of at least one sandwich construction comprising flexible sheetmaterial disposed between underlying and overlying, constraining mazes.In a preferred form of the invention a pair of such sandwichconstructions are mutually spaced apart to define a medial air-chamber.Novelperipheral means are provided to complete the structure as tomounting and sealing.

The present invention relates to roof constructions and ancillaryequipment and, more particularly, to a new and improved roof forcommercial buildings, homes, atriums, swimming pools, resorts, and soforth, which are inexpensive to construct and erect, durable, andtranslucent if desired.

The last decade in particular has seen the advance of numerous differenttypes of roofing material and structure. All include at least someframing including ceiling joists, rafters, and trussed or pre-stressedstructures. All of this construction is inconvenient and undesirable inmany instances where lightweight and possible translucent materials areto be desired. If a roof could be devised so as to be free from all thebracing and trussing normally required, then the same would lend itselfideally to translucent sections or may even be completely translucentthroughout. Particularly is this desired in resort areas in thewintertime, over a swimming pool, and the like.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved, light-weight, easily- .assembled roof construction forspecialty and other uses.

A further object is to provide a new sandwich-type roof constructionwhich is adapted to air-conditioning and light passage therethrough.

An additional object is to provide a sandwich-roof construction whereinplastic sheeting may be used, and yet suitably constrained by a simplewire means, so that the roof will be durable and retain its desiredconfiguration.

An additional object is to provide a multiple-sandwichtype roof whereinan air or reduced pressure area is preserved between adjacent sandwichesof the roof structure.

An additional object is to provide a roof structure including mazes ofmultiple wires so constructed and arranged together to provide suitableand yet light-weight support structure for an interior web sheeting.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially exploded, vertical section of a roof structureincorporating the principles of the present invention.

Patented Aug. 22, 1967 ICC FIGURE 2 is a section similar to FIGURE 1 butillustrates the structure in installed condition.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan of the structure shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of one of thewire mazes of the present invention, wherein tensioning springs are usedto retain the tensioned construction of the individual mazes.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the upper portion of theroof structure wherein valve means are used for pressure reliefpurposes.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged section detail taken along the lines 66 inFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section of another form of the invention whereina double-sandwich construction is used with the roof structure.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detail taken along the line 88 in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to that shown inFIGURE 5, but with a pair of horizontal, disc-configured means beingprovided for the structure when taking the form illustrated in FIGURE 8.

In FIGURES 1-3 the roof 10 of the present invention is shown to consistof a sandwich construction including a central web 11, a support maze12, a retainer maze 13, and other structure hereinafter to be described.Web 11 is translucent and composed of polyethylene or polyurethane sheetplastic, for example, and is preferably itself reinforced with anintegral nylon or other type webbing. The support and retainer mazes 12and 13 preferably combined to comprise individual multiplicities ofwires which are arranged, for example, in the manner as illustrated inFIGURE 3. There, the retainer maze 13 includes a plurality of centralwires 14 which are retained outwardly at their extremities by loopedretainer wires 15. The extremities of wires 15 are secured in place bynails, screws, or other attachment means to an annular rim 16. Theattachment 17 used are indicated in FIG- URES 1 and 3.

An enlarged view of a typical maze structure is illustrated in FIGURE 4wherein it will be seen that the central wires, termed 14 in FIGURE 4,may include selfadjusting springs 18 medially secured there-within, thisso as to tension or take up slack that may exist by virtue of expansionof the wires, loosening of the attachments, and so forth. Thus, it isseen that a taut support maze 12 (and retainer maze 13 as well) may beprovided. Furthermore, it will be understood that additional wires maybe included in the direction of the arrow so as to make inter-wiredistance at a chosen minimum. The wired configuration in FIGURE 3 isdeemed highly desirable in that the extremity wires 15 reduce inter-wiredistance along the outer chord lengths of the wire segments.

Again, both of the mazes 12 and 13 may be constructed in the manner asindicated in FIGURE 3 and be disposed against the medial web 11 oneither side thereof.

In practice there will be supplied a central support means 20 which isafiixed to central support pole 21 mounted in cementitious block 22proximate ground plane 23. The central support means 20 is shown inFIGURES 1 and 2 to include a mounting plate 24, a brim affixed to anddisposed thereover as indicated at 25, and a crown 26. Thus, the centralsupport means may take the form of a hat-configured support member. Asshown in FIG- URE 5, the brim 25 of the structure is preferably roundedat its outer margin 27 so as to provide an easy arcuate contour toaccommodate the gradual bending of the several wires 14 at X, forexample, to provide the roof an inverted-dish configuration. It will beunderstood that the wires 14 and 14", as well as wires 15 and 15", willcorrespond in general orientation as indicated in FIGURE 3.

3 As to installation, in practice the central support pole will be setin concrete as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and the structural supportmember or means 20 welded or otherwise secured in place as indicated.Then, the rim 16 is positioned coaxially about support pole 21 and thelower or support maze 12 of wires installed. To perform this latterfunction the wires 14 and 15 (and 14" and 15" as well) will be initiallysecured together, one extremity of each of the respective sets of wires15 and 15" will be secured to the rim 16, and the remaining extremitieswill be tightened and secured to rim 16 so as to have an over-allsupporting wire construction or maze 12. Subsequently, the plastic webor sealing material 11 will be installed over the pole and after thisthe remaining maze wires, i.e. retainer maze 13, will be positioned andinstalled in much the same manner as that previously indicated inconnection with support maze 12. If desired, the central plastic web 11may include a grommet-configured portion or element 30 for wearpurposes.

Additional securement may be provided in a peripheral,channel-configured clamping ring or channel 31 having depending flange32 mounted into rubber ring 33. In this way the channel may be clampedin a multi-piece construction, for example, so that the rubber ringcomes in sealing contact with the plastic of the roof and yet permitsslight relief indentations for the wires passing thereover. This willprovide a good sealing construction. The rims 31 may comprise eitherseparate segments as indicated in FIGURE 3 or segments joined togetheras indicated by dotted line 34. Preferably there may be included valves35 which are spring-loaded by spring means 36 in the central supportmeans 20 as indicated. Furthermore, the latter may include air accessapertures 37 as shown. The reason for these valves will now becomeclear. In climates which are either excessively cold or excessively hot,it may well be desirous to pump air beneath the roof construction, thisis for the comfort and convenience for occupants. Valves 35 supply asimple relief valve means wherein excessive air pressures occurringunderneath the canopy or roof may be relieved and desired pressuresretained in the interior of the structure covered by the sandwich roofconstruction of the present invention. However, the valves are optionaland need not be included if so desired. See FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURES 7, 8, and 9 indicate an optional type of construction wherein adouble, sandwich-type construction is used, with a simple air space orreduced pressure area 40 being included therebetween. The structureheretofore described is simply duplicated, with two of the support units20 preferably contacting each other as illustrated in FIGURE 7, see alsoFIGURE 9 in this regard. The central support units or members are weldedor keyed or otherwise afiixed to the central support pole 21. Inpractice the uppermost support means 20 will be installed lastly afterthe lowermost roof sandwich at in FIG- URE 7 is installed. Thereafterthe second roof construction 10" will be installed in a manner similarto that heretofore described with the previous figures. In such aconstruction a mounting ring 42 can be used accommodating the fixedretention of wire extremities 15 and 15" of each of the roof sandwiches.Screws, nails, pins or other attachments as at A and A will secure thewire extremities in the manner indicated. A subsequent rim orchannel-like ring 31' may be installed to lap over the edges of thewires and web sheeting 11 used.

In practice the margin rings or channels 31 and 31' will be anchored totheir respective supports S and S and be supported thereby and,preferably as well, by the central pole 21. The sandwich construction ofthe roof in any event offers a convenient radial run-off for rain orsnow. It further serves as a taut and satisfactory roof beneath whichair conditioning may be introduced. The construction is proven to beremarkably less expensive than conventional trussed roof constructions;yet, the construction is very sturdy, this owing to the multiplicity ofwires. Furthermore, there is no restriction as to size of the device orthe area which may be covered thereby.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

A roof construction including, in combination, a support wire maze; asheet web disposed over said support wire maze for support thereby; aretainer wire maze disposed over said sheet web for retaining the sameagainst said support wire maze; a hat-configured central support meanshaving brim means and crown means, said mazes comprising wires routedover said brim means and at least part-way around said crown means; aperipheral rim member secured to the peripheral extremities of said wiremazes; and a peripheral ring encompassing said rim member, theperipheral margin of said sheet web, and said peripheral extremities ofsaid wire mazes, said peripheral ring being inwardly channel-configuredand including a lip-flange means provided with a resilient sealing edge,sealingly contacting said retainer wire maze and said peripheral marginof said sheet web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,262,564 4/1918 Reynolds 52631,402,077 1/ 1922 Lanchester 522 2,635,302 4/1953 Denning 522 X2,692,566 10/1954 Mitchell 52-63 3,277,616 10/1966 Koss 5231 FOREIGNPATENTS 53,573 2/1934 Norway.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner.

